Interlocking metal fabric for beds



S. CAHAN INTERLOCKING METAL FABRIC FOR BEDS Sept. 22, 1925.

Filed Dec. 19.

[rive/liar: Solo M1012 Caz/2am Patented Sept. 22, 1925.

PATENT OFFICE.

SOLOMON OAHAN, .OF NENV YORK, N. Y.

IN TERL-OCKING METAL FABRIC FOR BEDS.

Application filed December 19, 1922. Serial No. 607,840.

To all whom it ma concern:

Be it known that I, SOLOMON CAHAN, a citizen .of the United States, residing in New York,'in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Interlocking Metal Fabrics for Beds, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to spring fabrics, and particularly to spring fabrics used in connection with articles adapted for reclining or sitting thereupon, and one object of the invention is'to provide a spring fabric of simple construction and great resiliency without the tendency in use to sag in spots and thereby form depressions in the fabric.

Another object is to provide a spring fabric of the character mentioned in which interlocking units or links of uniform construction are employed to formthe body of the fabric; the body being meant to be 'use of laterally connecting and supporting units or links of differentconstruction from the longitudinally connecting and supporting units or links.

Another object is to provide a spring fabric of the character mentioned in which interlocking unitsor links of uniform construction are employed for mid portions,

marginal portions, and terminal portions of the body of the spring fabric.

I attain these objects, and such other objects, features and advantages as may hereinafter appear, by the invention of which the following is a description by way of example of one embodiment, and which embodiment is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a plan View of the spring fabric connected to a frame or primary supportmg means, the view showing the fabric broken longitudinally and transversely for indicating that the fabric in length and width is composed of a greater number of links than shown in the view; 7

Fig. 2is a detail plan view of a uniform link on an enlarged scale;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary plan view of uni-' form links in connected relation and on an enlarged scale; I V

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary side view of the links shown in Fig. 3; and

Fig. 5 is. afragmentary side view, partly terminal mid-links 12, terminal marginal links 13, all of these: links being of uniform construction; terminal mid-links 14, terminal marginal links 15, the links 14 and 15 being of uniform construction but different from the other links and being preferably as shown of the construction shown and described in my co-pending application Serial No. 607,839, filed Dec. 19, 1922; the mid and marginal resilient or helix members 16 and 17, the mid and terminal connecting rings 18 and 19, and the spreaders 20 for connecting marginal links to side portions of the frame A.

Referring'to Fig.2, each of the uniform links is a length of wire bent on itself to form parallel arms 21 and 22 of equal length connected by a yoke 23 having pockets 24 and .25, preferably of semicircular shape, and an extension 26 of substantially U-s'hape between the pockets, the pockets 24 and y 25 and extension 26 lyingin substantially the same plane. The extension 26 has a laterally extending branch on either side thereof, each branch being in length substantially the Width of the U-shaped extension, the branches merging at their outer ends in the semicircular pockets 24 and Y25, the extension 26 and its branches affording by flexing means for transverse extension of the link at its yoke end when the link is under strain. The arms 21 and 22 have formed about midway of their length the oppositely extending affects or elbows 27 and 28 of substantially V-shape lying in substantially the same plane as the yoke 23, the portions of the wire composing the elbows 27 and 28 forming circumflex curves 2'9 and 30 when viewed from the side as shown in Fig. 1, to permit overlying and underlying interlocking engagement of the elbow of one link with the elbow of another link for lateral connection of the links by spring elements as shown in Fig. 3 having pronounced spring leverage at their points of interconnection, the diverging straight portions of the interconnected V-shaped elbows providing by flexing for extension of the fabric lengthwise thereof when the fabric is under strain.

Thefree ends of the arms 21 and 22 arebent transversely to the plane of the yoke 23 and elbows 27 and 28 to provide'hooks 31 and 32 for engagement with pockets 24: and 25 of other links for longitudinal connection of the links.

In assembling the spring fabric, the midlinks 10 are connected laterally by overlying and underlying interlocking engagement of the elbows 27 of the mid-links with the elbows 28fof adjacent mid-links, the midlinks so connected being arranged in a plurality of series extending transversely of the fabric The mid-links 10 are connected longitudinally by/engagement of the hooks 31 and 32 of the mid-links with the pockets 24 and 25 of other mid-links, the mid-links so connected being arranged in a plurality of series of alined links extend-ing longitudinally of the fabric.

The marginal links 11 on one side of the frame A are connected laterally to adjacent mid-links 10 by overlying and underlying interlocking engagement of the elbows 28 of the marginal links with the elbows 27 of the mid-links, and on the other side of the frame A are connected to adjacent midlinks '10 by overlying and underlying interlocking engagement of the elbows 27 of the marginal links with the elbows 28 of the mid-links. The marginal links 11 are connected laterally to the side portions of the frame A by engagement of the Spreaders or short links 20 with the elbows 27 or 28, as

the case may be, of the outer or. free sides of the marginal links, the Spreaders or short I links 20 being suitably secured to the side portions of the frame as by engagement of the spreaders in holes 20 through the frame. The marginal links 11. are connect 3 ed longitudinally by engagement of the hooks 31 and 32 of the marginal links with the pockets 23 and 24.- of adjacent marginal links, the marginal links so connected being arranged in a series extending longitudinally on each side of the frame.

The terminal mid-links 12 are connected laterally by overlying and underlying interlocking engagement of the elbows27 of the terminal mid-links with the elbows 28 of adjacent terminal mid-links, and are connected longitudinally to the mid-links by engagement of the hooks 31 and 32 of the mid-links with the pockets 24 and 25 of the terminal mid-links. The outermost terminal mid-links 12 on each side of the fabric are connected on one side of the links to the terminal marginal links 13 by overlying and underlying interlocking engagement of the elbows 27 or 28, as the case may be, of the outermost terminal mid-links 12, with the elbows 27 or 28 of the terminal marginal links. The terminal mid-links are connected at their hook ends by engagement of each hook 31 and 32 of the terminal mid-links with a separate mid-connecting ring 18, the arms of the terminal mid-links being bent outwardly or diverging to accomplish'this, the terminal mid-links being arranged in a series extending transversely of the frame, and each terminal mid-link of the series being in ali'neme'nt with a mid-link longitudinally of t he'fr'ame. I

The mid-connecting rings 18'2116 connected to resilient means, such as the mid-helix members 16, which in turn are attached to one end of the frame A. I

The terminal marginal links 13 are connected laterally on one side of the links to the terminal mid-links as before described and on the other or outer of their sides are connected laterally to the side portions of the frame A by spreader-s 20 engaging the side portions of the frame. The terminal marginal links 13 are connected at their yoke ends to the marginal links 11 by engagement of the hooks 31 and 32 of the marginal links in the pockets 24 and 25 of the terminal marginal links. The terminal marginal links 13 are connected at their hook ends by engagement of one hook 31 or 32, as the case may be, of the outer arms of the terminal marginal'linkswith one of the marginal connecting rings 19, the hook of the inner arms of the terminal links engaging one of the outermost midconnecting rings 18 by bending the arm inwardly, the terminal marginal links being arranged in alineme'nt with the marginal links.

The terminal mid-links let are of the form described in my said co-pending application, and are connected-by engagement of their books in the pockets 24; and 25 of the mid-links-12, the hooks of the inner arms of the outermost terminal mid-links 14 engaging in outer pockets 24 or 25, as the case may be, of the outermost mid-links 12, and the hooks of the outer arms of the outermost terminal mid-links 1 1 engaging in inner pockets 24L or 25, as the case may be, of the marginal links 13. The terminal midlinks 1 1 are connected to the. mid-helix members 16 by engagement of :hooks of the helix members in the eyes of the terminal mid-links, the helix members 16 in turn be-v ing suitably connected to end portions of the frame A.

The terminal marginal links 15 are of a form similar to the terminal mid-links 14, and are connected to the marginal links 18 by engagement of the hooks of both arms of the terminal marginal links in the outer pockets 24: or 25, as the case may be, of the marginal links 13. The terminal marginal links 15 are connected to the marginal helix members 17 by engagement of the hooks of the helix members in the eyes of the ter minal marginal links 15, the helix members 17 in turn being suitably connected to end portions of the frame A;

From the foregoing description it will be seen that for the body portion of the fabric I employ links of uniform construction whereby the use of separate links for laterally connecting the longitudinally connected links is obviated; by the overlying and underlying engagement of the elbows 27 and 28 of cooperating links a plurality of series of resilient supporting surfaces is provided extending transversely of the body of the fabric; and by reason of the inwardly extended portions 26 and lateral branches of cooperating links a plurality of series of additional resilient supporting surfaces is provided extending transversely of the body of the fabric, the series of resilient supporting surfaces formed by the extended portions 26 and lateral branches having on either side thereof a series of resilient supporting surfaces formed by the interconnected elbows 27 and 28, the resilient supporting surfaces of one form being arranged in staggered re lation to the resilient supporting surfaces of the other form, and cooperating therewith,

the elbows or offsets 28 at the margins of the fabric and connected to the frame providing for lengthwise extension of the fabric, and the extensions 26 being extensible for crosswise extension of the fabric when under strain and the whole providing a light weight spring fabric of great resiliency, durability, and free from tendency to sag in spots.

Having thus described my invention, it should be understood" that there may be modifications thereof and variations therein without departing from the spirit of the invention or exceeding the scope of the appended claim.

What I claim and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

A spring fabric comprising a plurality of links, each link consisting of parallel arms having hooks at their free ends and having outwardly extending substantially V-shaped oppositely related elbows, the arms being connected at their opposite ends by yokes composed of substantially U-shaped extensions having lateral branches forming with adjacent ends of the arms semicircular pockets; the links being connected lengthwise of the fabric by engagement of the hooks of one link with the pockets of another link and being connected crosswise of the fabric by engagement of the V-shaped elbows of one link with the V-shaped elbows of adjacent side links, the engaged elbows of the links providing series of spring elements extending crosswise of the fabric having central points of spring leverage and having straight portions widely diverging from the points of spring leverage and providing by flexing for lengthwise extension of the fabric when under strain, and the U-shaped extensions and lateral branches of the links providing series of spring elements extending crosswise of the fabric and providing by flexing for crosswise extension of the fabric when under strain.

SOLOMON CAHAN. 

